Lucky - #AtoZChallenge

A little over eleven years ago, I met a boy.

I miss those overalls... 

Who, a few years later, asked me to be his wife.

I was SOOOOO glad it wasn't a bracelet in that box... 

I, of course, said yes.

With long hair, people said Lenny looked like Captain Jack Sparrow :)

A few years later our daughter was born.

Babies are so cute... especially when they're sleeping.

Our life together hasn't always been a Fairy Tale, but not a day goes by that I don't realize just how Lucky I am for what I have found with my very own Prince Charming.

Today's photo challenge is "something you found". Today's letter is L. 

How Lucky I am to have Lenny, the Love of my Life. The very best thing I have ever found.

My Love

I have become a 1950's man...

Lenny was laid off in late June. For six glorious months I had a House Husband. He cooked, he did the shopping, he didn't do all of the housework, but he certainly helped. I should point out that Lenny is Italian, and a very good cook. He also knows how to "balance" meals, something I am not good at.

Money was tight, but life was good.

Then he went and got a job...

The first full day he worked, he came home after six. I met him at the door, "I don't think this is going to work out."

"What? Why? What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure I appreciate this selfish desire of yours to work outside of the home. I had to cook my own dinner!" Obviously I was upset. I mean, have you tried my cooking?

And what did he do? He burst out laughing. The nerve. So, I fed him dinner.

That shut him up. Ha!

It's been about two and half months now. We're limping along. The bills are getting paid, but I've had to suffer my own cooking on far too many evenings. Some nights Lenny will call me to tell me he's on his way home from work and I announce "good, I just started dinner. I'm experimenting!"

[Silence]

"Aren't you excited?"

"Do you want me to pick up something to eat on my way home?"

I remind you, this is his fault. I was quite happy having a House Husband, but noooo he wanted to have a job.

He still makes my lunch for me, complete with snacks to eat for breakfast at work and throughout the day, but when I come home I like to have a nice meal waiting for me. Who doesn't?

Then last week, I called out to the garage where he was working on his bike after getting home. "Um hun, where's my romantic Valentine's Day dinner?" I asked.

"You know, I was talking to one of the guys at work and he suggested that maybe I already do too much for you... and if I do things for you all of the time it's not as special," he offered.

The nerve. "Oh really? Haven't I told you not to talk to your 'friends' about these things? That guy probably doesn't have a happy relationship. In fact, I bet he's destined to die unhappy and alone. Besides, it's always special."

Lenny appeared to agree, but we ended up eating leftovers for dinner.

I'm keeping an eye on him.

So, my goal in life is now to make enough money that my husband doesn't have to work outside of the home. I'm not sure I like this new crowd he's around...

Oh, and he's incredibly handsome too. It's best to keep him home all to myself :)

Yes, I am incredibly blessed :)

Laugh your way to a better marriage

A few years ago someone sent me this hilarious clip by Mark Gungor called "A Tale of Two Brains"

It's so funny, because it's totally true. I have reenacted that scene so many times to friends, and they always get it. After digging around a little, I discovered that this is just one scene from a marriage seminar.

Now, I know what you're thinking... I hate marriage seminars. I don't need a marriage seminar. It's given by a Pastor? No way, I hate preachy stuff.

I get it, I'm the same way. However, we've owned this DVD set now for two and a half years and we watch it all the time. We recommend it to everyone. Mark Gungor does a fantastic job of keeping things funny, and totally spot on. And the entire seminar is not preachy at all.

He talks about sex, a lot. Like this clip about men's sex drive:

Your marriage doesn't have to be in trouble to get and enjoy this DVD. Watching it will help you communicate better. It explains mysteries like why women have to ask men to do things more than once, or why men can completely zone out and women typically can't.

A few weeks ago I was talking to some workmates and pulled from what Mark taught me when explaining why men and women talk about their problems - and how it's for totally different reasons. Men only talk about their problems if they want a solution - and that's why they're always offering us ladies unsolicited ones! Women talk about their problems because it helps them to figure out how they feel about what's going on. My male friend said "wow, that totally makes sense! I always knew I shouldn't talk or offer solutions when my wife was complaining about something, but never understood why that was!"

I cannot recommend Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage by Mark Gungor more. It's fantastic. It's funny. It's spot on. It will help you communicate better and understand each other better.